Tree-felling apparatus



June so, 1925- 1,544,092 M. G. HUBBARD TREE FELLING APPARATUS Original Filed July 23-, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. G. HUBBARD TREE FELLING'APPARATUS June 30, 1925 1,544,092

Original Filed July 23, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 I if; 11:11:15

W W W WM IN VENTOR .4 TTNRVEY Patented June 30, 1925.

tanner UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MOSES G. HUBBARD, OF CHAIHAM, NElV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T EXCELSIOE? TREE FELLING SAW (.70., INC., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TREE-FELLING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 23, 1921, Serial No. 487,022. Renewed December 5, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Moses G. HUBBARD, a citizen f the United States, residing in Chatham, county of Morris, State of New Jersey, have invented a certain Improvement in Tree-Felling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In felling a tree by means of a saw, if the saw is moved in a substantially straight line, it is obvious that the resistance to the cutting action of the teeth will always be due to contact along the whole length of the bottom of the cut. Hence it will increase very rapidly in proportion as the saw enters the tree, finally attaining a maximum when the center is reached. On theother hand, if the saw be rocked so as to form a cut whose bottom is a convex circular are, only a few teeth are in contact with thewood at a given moment, and this number remains substantially constant from'beginning to end of the felling operation. The result is that the resistance to movement of the teeth is substantially constant, and is alway very much less than it is where the movement of the saw is'rectilinear.

My presentinvention has for one of its principal objects the provision of a felling power saw so constructed as to produce a 30 large divergence from the straight line movement, so that the bottom of the cut is an arc of relatively short radius.

Another important and novel advantage of my invention is the provision of ama chine affording a powerful and effective resilient feeding pressure. The feeding pressure can be adjusted instantaneously without stopping the saw.

Another important feature of my novel improvement is the provision of means for rapidly and firmly attaching the machine to a tree, which means permit almost instan taneous disengagement and removal; so that, when the tree falls, it will not endanger either the machine or the operator. The inventionalso includes such a construction as will insure, whenever desired, a certain and rapid disengagement of the saw blade from the socket by which it is operated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Where-iii Figure 1 is aplan view of a complete machine, Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion thereof taken on the line 22 in Figure 1,.Figure 3 is a plan view of a detail enlarged, Figure 4 is a slightly modified plan view of a part of the machine in the position assume-d when a tree is nearly cut through, Figure 5 is an enlarged view in plan of the attachment of the saw blade and Figure 6 is an elevation of the same as viewed from the line 66 in Figure 5.

The framework 10 is supported in any convenient manner, the support preferably including a pair of wheels 11, near one end. Immediately over these wheels is shown a cross piece 12, which carries a driving motor of any convenient character, indicated at 13. This motor may be a gasoline engine, but its details are immaterial and have not been illustrated.

The motor 13 drives a shaft 14 by means of a chain 15 and a sprocket wheel 16. B means of a train of gears 17, 18, 19 and 20, the shaft 14: imparts rotation to a wheel 21, to which is pivotally secured one end of a pitman22. The opposite end of this pitman is pivotally secured to a driving lever 23, attached by a pivot 21 to a cross piece 25.

The socket 26 to which the saw is secured is pivoted to the end of a rocking lever 27. while a rigidly fixed extension 28 is pivoted to the end of the driving lever 23.

In order to impart a rocking movement to the saw, the inner end of the lever 27 is fixed to an arc-shaped toothed rack 29, by means of the forked plate 30, and this rack en gages and rocks upon a similar toothed areshaped rack 31, fixed to a movable support 32. The racks 29 and 31 areheld in firm engagement by a spring 33 fixed to the guard p1ate.',3l, also fixed to the support 32.

The support 32 is preferably formed in the arc of a circle struck around the axis of the wheel 21, and it is supported so as to slid between guides 35 and 36, fixed to the framework 10. One end'of a cord or chain 37 is fixed to the support 32, whence it passes over a fixed pulley 38 to one end of a coiled spring 39. In Figure 1 this pulley is shown under the support 32, spiked to a stringer of the frame. From the opposite end of this sprin a cord or chain 40 passes over a pulley 41 xed to the framework, and thence around a revoluble drum 4:2 furnished with a crank handle 43. By this means a spring tension is exerted tendin to press the support 32 outward (upwar in Figure 1) and this tension can be regulated by turning the handle 43. The pawl it and ratchet l-5 prevent unwinding of the cord onthe drum...

The saw bladeAGis shown in Figure 1. just about to attack the tree indicated at e7;

while in Figure 4 it is shown ahnost through the same. Figure l also shows the altered posit-ion f=;thesupport 32.;when the tree is almost felled. It will, of course be understood thatthe spring 39 2 its during the en tireat'elling operation; through the support SQEand: lever 27,; to inn 'iartetfective feeding pressure upo'n'the saw blade.

Inord'er -thatv thev saw blade may be quickly disengaged from thepsocketfio, soas to 'friee therest of the machine from the tree at the moment: ol telling, a. special mode of temporary attachment-i innst be employed; The PI'GfQYIGCllUlQdllS for this end. are shown in Figures 4 to. 6.

As plainly shown "in igure 5,- 1 the socket 26 is )rov-idedw with a :su 3 )ortin extension 48,-. which forms a: right: angled recess a dapted to receive the baseot the saw blade; which is confined laterallyby the cheek plates-49an l=r50u The top corner of the saw blade fits under the ledgeil.=. The up per/ edge? of: the saw base .is-turnished with a rectangular. notclr52 which registers with similar notches 53 in the. cheek plates, while a-:notch 54 llIldGlillllB 'SiLW' fitsover a pin at the=bottomot the socket;

Toifik the saw-in the socket, the base is introduced between o the cheek; plates, the

notch;5t being brought over the pin and the notohesh52/and- 53 being brought'into regist .y. Iri order to secure the parts in this position, the lookinglewer 56 is provided. This is pivotedtothesocket at-57- and carries a projection 58 :which-"is' normally .held in-engagement withotl1e=notches-52 and 53 by a cstrongtspringifitlrn ln rorder that the sa-W Ina'y be-more; conveniently unlocked by the operator standing ne a1: the" handle 43, a wire :01: cordGO extends back from the tail ottfithe lever 561t0' a finger ring;61=fwithih easy reach; of the operator.

They means for 'supportiiignndguid ing the fOl' WH-I'd end of-rthesaw until; it' enters the tree are; shown 1 in Figures 1' and 12.; This devicewpreferably x-includes means for "pressing tlierforward end of-the saw againstthe The presser-guide tor the forward end of the saw comprises a metal trainefil slidably mounted upon the spike 62 and pressed constantly forward by thespring 65, coiled around thespike. This frame carries two or more rollers 66, by which the saw blade is. supported before entering the tree; as well as a confining plate 67, which fits over the upper surface of the bladeand insures its steady reciprocation in a single plane.

In apparatus of thiskind it is de'sirableto provide firm and. ellic'ientmeanszfor attaching the ClGVlCB'iOlllG tree to be felled, and so toconstruct the same that theentire apparatus may be quicklydisengaged and removed when :the tree starts to fall. 3

For this purpose;inaddition to the spike 62, there is provided arcord orl chain and tightener therefor; thel'atter being mounted upon the frame-work 10 and beingupre'terablyarranged to exert a strong ,springac tion uponthe cordor chain that surrormds the-tree. In the embodiment-shown=in the d 'awi-ngs, the tightener takes the form of a shaft- 68 provided with arms 69rada pted to engage the-cord or: chain which shaft has its ends slide-lily mounted in guides 70,.7l', in which it is held: against longitudinal movement by shoulders 72, 73. Springs: 74, 75 exert aconstantwpull away from the tree on-the-twoends 0t theshafh Ii'rthe i'orni shown, the arms 69 are notchedat: their ends, and, when in upright position,-thechainTG is passed. around the tree-and, being drawn tight, its ends are dropped into'thesenotchcs so that a link ofeach end is caught.

The shaft 68 is then revolved clock ise in Figure 2,Ibyn1eans of the handle 77,. which is pivotally attached to a strap 78, fixed. to the shaft 68. This arrangement makes-it possible tosecure the handle: 7? in a-horizontal positioinby slidingib under thelook' ingnl err 79 on theframework This things the arms 69 dowry-extending ,the'spri-ngs 7d: and 75, thereby tiohtening the chain 1 around the tree and holding :the-whole apparatus firmly fixech ll 1th the parts 1n the position shown in 1*- igure .1, the engine may .bo-started,1wheu.

V the saw bladeawillxbe causedi to reciprocate with a rockingniovenientd whereby therein tire -force lS' concentrated at all: times upon relatively few teeth. This greatly increases the'etfectiiveness ofth'e saw. The-initial. pressure is provided by both feeding springs 39 and but, wl ienthe blade is. sufficiently advanced in the tree, the former-will alone be active -as th sawvillhave left the guide, and theframewtil:willfimpinge upon the inner surface or one of the framework stringers -10; Experience-has shown. that. a cutting speed of dromrfiize-tmtena inches a minute can be: achieved inhard wood by a saw of this kincl, using an ordinary motorcycle'gas'engine at l3: J i

ail)

-;- release the saw blade.

When the tree is about to fall (see Figure 4) the machine must be very quickly removed to prevent injury from the kick back of the tree butt. For this purpose it is only necessary to strike the handle 77 to the left in Figure 1 and to pull the wire 60. The former movement will cause the arms 69 to fly up, throwing off the ends of the chain 76, while pulling on 60 will instantly The operator can then swing the frame out of the way and wheel it out of range in a few moments. The saw blade will necessarily be left behind, but this is in no danger from the fall of the tree.

The particular mechanical movement employed, in the form shown, for imparting a rocking movement to the saw blade is not essential to the broad invention and indeed .many changes may be made in this device, of a more or less radical nature, without departingfrom the scope of this invention, it not being intended to limit the invention to the details herein shown and described.

lVhat is claimed is- 1. Tree-felling apparatus comprising a frame, a saw supported thereby, a slide mounted to move across the frame, a rigid lever pivotally connected with the saw and mounted on said slide so as to rock across the same during operation, a spring attached to said slide adapted to move the same forward during operation, and a motor on said frame adapted to reciprocate the saw.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the rocking lever is provided with a curved toothed rack adapted to rock on a similar rackon the slide.

3. Tree felling apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be brought into a horizontal position with one side of one end against a tree, a band adapted to surround the tree and attachable to said frame, a spike projecting from the side of the frame for insertion in the tree, a saw on said frame adapted to swing horizontally away from the frame during operation, a motor on the frame adapted to reciprocate the saw, and feeding means for the saw.

4. Tree felling apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be brought into a horizontal position with one side of one end against a tree, a band adapted to surround the tree, elastic attaching means for said band mounted upon said frame, a saw on said frame adapted to swing horizontally away from the frame during operation, a mot-or on the frame adapted to reciprocate the saw, and feeding means for the saw.

5. Tree felling apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be brought into a horizontal position with one side of one end against a tree, a band adapted to surround the tree adapted to secure the frame to the tree by tension in vthe line of pressure of the saw, a saw on the frame adapted to make effective contact with the tree between the sides of said band, a motor on the frame for reciprocating the saw, and feeding means for the saw.

6. Tree felling apparatus comprising a frame removable by a single motion, means releasable by a single motion for attaching the frame to a tree, a saw, driving means therefor on the frame, and connecting means between the saw and the driving means releasable by a single motion so as to leave the saw behind as the tree falls and the frame is removed.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the saw disconnecting means is supplied with an operating device extending across the frame to facilitate operation from the side of the frame away from the tree.

8. Apparatus as in claim 6 in combination with frame releasing means and saw releasing means both within reach of a single operator on the side of the frame away from the tree.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand on this 21st day of July 1921.

M. G. HUBBARD. 

